Trying to regain Latino support, McCain has chastised Republicans who stoke the fires of the immigration at election time. And at a private meeting with Chicago-area Latinos last week, he promised to push for a comprehensive immigration bill.

“It sounds like he’s trying to have it both ways, and it’s not convincing anyone,” said Frank Sharry, who also was involved in immigration bill negotiations when he headed the National Immigration Forum.

This is not the McCain Hispanics thought they knew. Even after the 2001 terrorist attacks placed an emphasis on national security, McCain’s speeches to Latino audiences and on the Senate floor prioritized the compassionate side of the immigration argument.

He understood that border security “first” means “deportation only” in the eyes of immigrant activists, and he championed a broader approach.

As the Senate mulled immigration in 2006, McCain often stood in the Capitol’s corridors, pounding his fist in the air, arguing that border enforcement would not work without simultaneously penalizing employers who hire workers illegally, creating a temporary worker program and finding a way to bring 12 million illegal immigrants “out of the shadows” of society.

“It won’t work! It won’t work!” he protested of suggestions to do enforcement first. The stool cannot stand on one leg.

Before he entered the heat of the campaign, McCain also frequently recalled a 2003 article in the Arizona Republic that told the stories of some illegal immigrants who had died in the state’s hot desert.

“Within weeks, the heat makes mummies out of men. Animals carry off their bones and belongings. Many say their last words to an empty sky. John Doe, No. 143, died with a rosary encircling his neck. His eyes were wide open,” according to the article cited by McCain.

“He would finish by saying, ‘My friends, this is unacceptable. We have to fix this.’ We knew it was coming from his heart,” said Munoz of NCLR.

His advisers emphasize that McCain is trying to find a solution to a very complex problem but he remains a loyal ally of Hispanics. They point to the various episodes during the campaign in which he instinctively stood up for immigrants.

After being heckled by a crowd in Lavonia, Mich., last year, McCain replied: “I will secure the borders first. But I will tell you this, ma’am. I am not going to call up the soldier who is fighting in Iraq today and tell him I am going to deport his mother. I am not going to do that. You can do that. OK?”

McCain is going to have to be even more gutsy, said Sharry, who now heads America's Voices. Latinos will be key voters in the Southwest’s battleground states.

“If he is brave enough to say, ‘I am for comprehensive reform and [border security] has to be part of one bill,’ I will tip my hat to him. The McCain Express is back,” Sharry said.

Gebe Martinez is a longtime journalist in Washington and a frequent lecturer and commentator on the policy and politics of Capitol Hill.

At best, he is trying to play cute with the issue by muddling his stance. At worst, he has betrayed the civil rights activists who used to publicly and regularly praise his compassion and courage for standing up to the nativist, anti-immigrant sentiment in his party.

To pander to LaRaza is to **** on America and every good immigratant who plays by the rules.

McCain... if you haven't figured out that amnesty is dead... drop out. Obama, you can kiss their ass all you want... there will be riots if 20 million illegals get a free ride, increased handouts and our jobs so you can get elected.

If 20 million illegals (or any part of that group) is given even more benefits, services and amnesty they do not deserve AHEAD of good law abiding immigrants.... I predict there will be a new Boston Tea Party a brew'n.

We are still swimming in bad policy and zero enforcement since the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

Enforce the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 ... then enforce the new immigration rules over the past four years... THEN after all 20 million are deported... we will accept applications and they can get in line behind the 10 million waiting to come in.

"I don't think (McCain) can appease the hard-core xenophobes and convince the Latinos he is standing up for them at the same time,? said Cecilia Munoz, senior vice president of NCLR, who has been in the middle of immigration bill negotiations.I think he has to pick a side and make it clear. Is he going after the votes of the xenophobes"

Uhh, yeah. Not wanting 20 million impoverished illiterates-who have zero skills, refuse to assimilate, and even if they did pay taxes, couldn't even begin to cover the amount of money that they take in social services, education, medical, and the criminal justice system-yeah, that really makes us xenophobes.

In fact, I guess we should be thrilled to have 20 million unskilled, baby-making illiterates, none of whom have been checked for diseases, invading our borders. YAY!!

The direct massive negative consequences on today's and yesterdays economy, has been illegal Immigration. The new President will enact a massive AMNESTY, that promotes an open-door solution for millions more to come; compliments of the Globalists. McCain, the globalist has already stated to the Hispanic caucuses he will promote a path to citizenship. While Obama has never hesitating that he would introduce a new Comprehensive immigration reform package. If McCain or Even Obama thinks he is going to force a massive Amnesty on the hard pressed taxpayers. To support between 15 to 38 million illegal foreign national labor, they are going to have monolithic battle on their hands. Already Americans are forced to pay for free health-care, education, and wide spectrum of cornucopia of state and federal welfare programs. How come citizens and legal entrants who are denied many programs, but illegal squatters in our nation get special preference? Why should American subsidizing a war, be forced to forfeit their meager wages to underwrite the low incomes of illegal aliens who broke our laws. Why should this countries legal population underwrite corporate welfare for business to make huge profits.Our nation already admits more immigrants to this land than any other country, and runs 10 guest worker programs that in many cases are exploited by parasite employers. A few states now are representing the American taxpayers, such as Arizona, Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Rhode Island, instead of the special interest lobby. It's taken forty years of complete inattention or betrayal by Washington and timid Governors, Mayors, judges and their lieutenants. Now they must face up to the fact that the majority of taxpayers are sick and tired, of being a welfare system for big business who hire cheap illegal labor. Read the facts at NUMBERSUSA.

Do those of us who recognize the benefit of hispanic immigrants get the price difference on crops, hotel room, construction, etc. while you are busy running people through the red tape to make them legal and give them minimum wage? And if you are going to charge these immigrants taxes, you better let them vote as well. Otherwise they are being taxed without representation. Know what that leads to?

this is not a zigzag. this is a turn about. he has been telling us he would build a wall. now he wants to open the door and let them all in. he is now for amnesty just as he was when he hooked up with kennedy. too bad we don't have anyone in the republican party to vote for. i surly will not vote for a lier. frank la may

As boos and hisses from angry Republican conservatives grew louder at campaign events, he switched course and vowed to “first” secure the borders. Were his failed bill to come up again, he would not vote for it, he said.

I seem to remember bi-partisan displeasure, no, outrage over the amnesty plan. Poll after poll proved it. Public critizism proved it. Politicians backing down proved it. For such a huge "uniting" issue, the two remaining candidates have managed to ignore it.

But don't mind us. Our purpose in life is to provide funding for all the political games, give aways, experimentation, social engineering, the Global Warming scare, and redistribution of wealth. We will gladly let ya'll screw everything up as long as we're allowed to moan about it on occasion. And before I forget, thanks for allowing us to voice concerns. Who says you're not willing to allow us some privileges?

But don't mind us. Our purpose in life is to provide funding for all the political games, give aways, experimentation, social engineering, the Global Warming scare, and redistribution of wealth. We will gladly let ya'll screw everything up as long as we're allowed to moan about it on occasion. And before I forget, thanks for allowing us to voice concerns. Who says you're not willing to allow us some privileges?

Well stated! While they are at the games you describe, congress just gave a lame duck president who lost the mandate of the people long ago all the spying power and war funding that he asked for. What we want doesn't matter.

535 Congressmen, NO BALLS!

Sure, we need change. And not just in the White House. Re-elect nobody!

Do those of us who recognize the benefit of hispanic immigrants get the price difference on crops, hotel room, construction, etc. while you are busy running people through the red tape to make them legal and give them minimum wage? And if you are going to charge these immigrants taxes, you better let them vote as well. Otherwise they are being taxed without representation. Know what that leads to?

Taxation without representation? Yup... I know that is part of their game plan.

But if Obama called McCain’s bluff and agreed to share the stage, it would be McCain, longtime friend and advocate of the Latino community, who would face the tougher questioning against Obama, whose record on Hispanic issues is comparatively shallow.